Dress-form.



E. M. D. LANDBNBERGER.

DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED nmzo, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

MAW

COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH (50.. wAsmumoN, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMA M. D. LANDENBERGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DRESS-FORM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA M. D. LANDEN- BERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dress-Forms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a View of my improved dress form; Fig. 2 is a detail View of the sleeve portion of the form; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the sleeve.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in dress forms, the object being to construct the sleeve portion of said form so that it will be a collapsible reproduction of the arm of the form representing the person for whom the dress is being fitted. Difficulty has been experienced here tofore in the use of dress forms with re spect to the fitting of the sleeves, it being practically impossible to fit a dress over a form having rigid arms or even solid arms which are hinged and movable. By providing the form with collapsible arms, it is possible to easily insert the collapsible arms through the sleeves, their flexibility permitting the gown to be placed in position practically in the same manner as the wearer would put on the gown.

In the drawings, 1 represents a dress form of any suitable material. While I have shown a solid form, it is obvious that a metal skeleton form could be employed equally as well. I prefer to cover the form with a close fitting trial lining, indicated at 2, this being made of material so as to enable the gown to be pinned thereto and also enable the attachment of the arm forms. 3 are the arm forms, which, as shown in Fig. 2, are made up of a backing, 4, of flexible material, such as crinolin or other flexible material which preferably possesses a slight amount of stiffness. To this sleeve backing are stitched a series of transversely arranged celluloid strips 5, one edge of the material 4 being preferably folded thereover, as shown. The ends of the celluloid strips preferably extend beyond the backing 4:.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Serial No. 609,688.

In obtaining the form of the arm, the celluloid strips 5 are placed next the arm and the folded over edge lapped over as shown in Fig. 3. The backing 4, with its flexible strips, is fitted closely so as to obtain the exact shape of the arm, and after the edge is marked the backing and strips are removed and then the edges placed in position according to the mark and a longitudinal row of stitches pass therethrough to hold the overlapped edges together. The form thus produced is an exact reproduction of the shape of the arm, and enables one to make, if desired, a tight fitting sleeve which will closely fit the arm at all points. If desired to stiffen the form, the extended edges of the strips may be stitched to the backihg 4, as indicated by the rows of stitches 7 It is also obvious that, instead of using celluloid strips, flexible strips of other material could be employed, such, for instance, as whalebone. It is also obvious that the strips could be arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the backing piece 4, instead of perpendicular thereto, whereby the angularly placed strips would wind spirally around the arm instead of cireumferentially.

In practice the form, after it is made, may be secured in its proper position to the trial lining on the dress form, and when it is desired to fit the garment on the form, the arm forms may be collapsed in, the hand and released inside of the sleeves. The tendency of the arm forms is to elongate to their original length, the flexible strips assuming their proper shape.

I claim:

The herein described flexible sleeve form comprising a flexible backing member, of tubular form, which gradually tapers from one end to the other, and a series of parallel flexible strips on the interior of said tubular form, which strips are fixed to the flexible backing member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of February, 1911.

EMMA M. D. LANDENBERGER.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, J. W. Cmr'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (1. 

